Product Description

The conservative party is not in a good position. Dealing with a post-Bush legacy, R. Emmett Tyrell Jr.-editor of the "American Spectator" is both cutting and constructive. Analyzing the conservative movement before the 2010 mid-term elections, discover who was right and what went wrong.and what the agenda needs to be for the "next ascendancy." 320 pages, hardcover with dust jacket.

Product Information

Format: DRM Protected ePubVendor: Thomas NelsonPublication Date: 2010

ISBN: 9781418560607ISBN-13: 9781418560607Availability: In Stock

Publisher's Description

Looking for real hope and change?

The man Hardball host Chris Matthews calls the legendary R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. has done it again. Tyrrell, author of such tours de force as New York Times bestseller Boy Clinton: The Political Biography, The Liberal Crack-Up, and The Conservative Crack-Up, serves up an insightful and delightful exploration of the past, present, and future of American conservatism, or what he terms, Americas longest dying political philosophy. And its future is bright.

Tyrrell begins with a sparkling distillation of conservative theory and history, complete with personal anecdotes from his decades in the movement, inspired by its luminaries, bored by its dim bulbs. He explains the nature of the conservative temperamentits political libidoand how it plays out in todays curious political culture; examines the vital role of a true political culture and solidarity in opposing the left and then offers a comprehensive agenda for the future of the movement that every political player on both the right and the left will have to read to grapple with in 2010 and 2012.

Tyrrell also considers American Liberalismits excesses, quirks, and near suicidal instinct. Far from offering mere indictment, however, Tyrrell also delivers a unique perspective on Liberalisms strengths, such as its intramural ecumenism and rare ability to rally around shared causes, explaining how conservatives could learn and profit from the example.

It goes without saying that through it all Tyrrells famous humor crackles and lifts the spirit. Conservatives looking for perspective on the current scene, a richer understanding of their shared past, and hope for the future will find After the Hangover as refreshing as it is restorative.

PREVIOUS ACCLAIM

The legendary R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. ?CHRIS MATTHEWS

No columnist, no author, has had a greater influence upon the course of American political history over the past decade than that ribald contrarian, R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. Even the slain giants die laughing. ?TOM WOLFE

Washington would not be the same without Bob Tyrrell and neither would the American conservative movement. While dilettantes come and go, the relentless and irrepressible Tyrrell is forever. ?DAILY TELEGRAPH (LONDON)

Tyrrell is the master of a particular formtaking broken shards of silliness, deviance, hypocrisy, crime, and treason, shaping them into Erasmian examples of human folly, and doing so with style and flow. ?ARAM BAKSHIAN

Tyrrell alerts us to the dangers our political system faces . . . and he does it with the insight, wit, and style that mark him as a great American writer. ?BOB BARR

R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. has written a stimulating book which should cause many Americans to rethink positions they have taken in the debates of the past decade. ?HENRY KISSINGER

For a man I disagree with as much as Emmett Tyrrell . . . I must say that I enjoyed the sheer hell out of his book. ?NORMAN MAILER

In After the Hangover: The Conservatives Road to Recovery R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. puts forth his solution to the conservative movements current headache, nausea, and general malaise. He aptly depicts the present day challenges the movement faces as well as the historical events, people, and ideas that have brought the movement to this point. In order to accurately describe the current state of the conservative movement, Tyrrell explains the conservatives opponent, the Liberal, and takes the time to make some in depth analysis of Liberalism and how it functions and relates to the conservative. Understanding ones opponent is necessary in defeating them, and Tyrrell has almost as much to say about the Liberal as he does about the Conservative; describing one movement at times is to describe the antithesis of the other. His unapologetic way of standing by conservative policy is present throughout, and his practical application of that policy is briefly laid out in the last portion of After the Hangover just in case the reader may doubt his sincerity. After the Hangover was definitely worth my time, and I appreciate that Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review.

Tyrrell is an esteemed journalist, well, that's the impression you get from the back and from the book sleeve. He seems to be involved in a number of conservative organizations and has been the editor of the "American Spectator", a conservative journal/article producing place. The book sometimes reads rather oddly, i couldn't make too much sense of the early stages and what they were there for. All they did was pit the conservatives vs. the liberals without making much of a point. As the book reads there is a number of chapters that speak of the history of the conservative movement and who have been the major players within conservative and liberal politics over the last 50 years. Tyrrell towards the end of the book makes puts his stamp on things by bringing his own ideas and thoughts on how the conservatives can "recover". I thought the book was ok. It would have been better if i had known a bit more about the people and politics involved. I do enjoy reading and listening to the various political commentators about America politics but this seemed to be a little different to that - perhaps more intellectual than what the current day commentators talk about (which is what Tyrrell has a go at in his book). If you are interested in American politics, have a fascination with the conservative and liberal movements and would like a better grasp of their thoughts and policies then buy it. If not, don't buy it. I'm part of the blogger review program. Join if you would like to review books on your blog.